The career-change learning curve; and travelling light

I've been meaning for a while to lay some ghosts to rest regarding my decision - announced abruptly here - to give up the volunteering I'd been doing. My post was a little tongue in cheek, and more than a little aimed at my dislike of current government ideas. But I had reasons for giving up the voluntary work and I did learn from the experience. All of that can be helpful.

1. When you're changing career, you have to try out a few different things. I knew that from day one. You might have an ideal job in your head, but in reality you need to try it before you sink all your time and resources into chasing it, as well as of course showing your potential new colleagues and bosses some commitment. So voluntary work can be extremely useful in this way.
2. When you try out a few different things, some of them are not going to be the right fit for you. It's only fair to yourself to build in an exit strategy when going for a volunteer role. Keep it short-term, and be sure it's time you really can spare. In my case, I'd been so excited by the role, I'd agreed to everything on their terms and later had realised that it was costing me time and money I could ill afford, while not gaining me the experience I had hoped for. My mistake, and I regret it as I don't like letting people down. Nevertheless, I have learned from the experience.
3. Lay those ghosts to rest. When I left my last job, a friend who had been through a similar experience the year before, advised me to write a letter to my old bosses (not for posting I hasten to add - I need references from these people) to let go of the negative feelings I had towards them - let's face it, anyone who gets made redundant is going to have some feelings of resentment. I wish I had done that, it was good advice. Instead, I found that a certain aspect of my relationship with my volunteer organisation was pressing buttons in a remarkably similar way to how the dynamics at work had been, and it made me want to run for the hills. I'm not going to let that happen again, which means writing that letter at long last.

Travelling light, and see how much fun he's having?

The importance of a day off

One of the pitfalls of this looking-for-work malarkey is that you can just end up trying too damn hard, while always feeling you're not doing enough (otherwise you'd have a job by now, right?). I used to tell my housemate to have a day off, properly - no 'just one email' - or she would burn out.

And yet, here I am on 'holiday', glued to the laptop I lugged up to Scotland with me, checking my emails first thing and feeling miserable, defeated and overwhelmed.

I am switching the computer off, putting it back in the suitcase, where it stays until I get home.